You are considering a project that costs $1,500 and has the following after-tax cash flows:

Year 1 $400

Year 2 $500

Year 3 $650

Year 4 $700

The cost of capital for this project is 15 percent, and your firm only accepts projects with a payback period or discounted payback period of less than 3.5 years.

What is the payback period for this project? Would you accept the project according to this criterion?

What is the discounted payback period for this project? Would you accept the project according to this criterion?

What is the internal rate of return (IRR) for this project? Would you accept the project according to this criterion?

What is the NPV of this project? Would you accept the project according to this criterion?

What is the profitability index of this project? Would you accept the project according to this criterion?

Which investment decision criteria should we value above the rest? Do all the above-calculated criteria lead to the same decision?